It's pretty amazing opening title music and I wonder how people think it might actually tap into the film and the themes and ideas behind it (sans the suggestive graphic design of the credits). Or do you think the music is only about what occurs in the opening titles?

It's pretty amazing opening title music and I wonder how people think it might actually tap into the film and the themes and ideas behind it (sans the suggestive graphic design of the credits). Or do you think the music is only about what occurs in the opening titles?

There are references to the music of the Universal-International horror films of the 50's, library music of the period (which Ed Wood used on his films) and also to the "exotica" sound of people like Les Baxter and Martin Denny. Interestingly, director Tim Burton had contacted Henry Mancini to score the movie but he became gravely ill and could not work on the project. Howard Shore was the replacement choice.

It is a marvelous score to what is probably still Burton's best film. The main title is incredibly effective in setting up the milieu, and the score really treads the line between being a playful homage to the scores it's parodying, and something with genuine pathos.

Also worth noting is that famed organist/pianist, and early television mainstay Korla Pandit (who also was an early purveyor of exotica - and has a riveting life story) appears as the organist at Ed's party.

I think Depp's performance was one of his best (his most outstanding being "Donnie Brasco", IMO). The score IS marvelous and a truly original work. The bongo drums and theremin are used to great effect and perhaps these are meant to convey that "exotica" and over-the-top nature of Ed's films A combination of fantasy, nightmare and exotica comes across with the gravestones and creatures in the titles. Interesting the score and titles end on a replicated shot from "Citizen Kane" at the El Rancho restaurant where Susan is interviewed by the reporter. Film is all inter-textual anyway!!

What I'm interested in is what kind of IMPRESSION of the ensuing film might one get when listening to that fabulous opening title music? And to what extent that does accord with the actual narrative? It is just SO programmatic and suggestive, unlike many other scores.

Another example of expectations in an opening score is Williams' virtuosic "Catch Me if You Can".

This is the only Tim Burton film Danny Elfman did not score. Did they have a falling out or was is a scheduling problem? One of my favorite scores.

Wrong. The original Frankenweenie was scored by Michael Convertino and David Newman. And that`s a gorgeous score indeed. Very lush, grand and sad. I was hoping that Intrada would release the new Frankenweenie in cooperation with Disney and put the Newman/Convertino score on the cd as well. But unfortunately that didn`t happen

Although I knew in advance of seeing ED WOOD something of what the subject matter would be, I think Shore's main title did a great job of priming me for a not-unsympathetic, somewhat humorous telling of the Ed wood story that was going to strive to capture as accurately as possible both the schlockiness of the man and his work, and the feel of the times and places in which Wood operated. After all of the dense, atmospheric sorts of things I was hearing from Shore at the time, this score surprised me with its warmth and humor, and was my first inkling that perhaps there was more to Shore than I had assumed.

I thought Johnny Depp was brilliant in this film, as I have thought about many of his performances. He is a tremendously talented natural actor, a guy who, like Robert Mitchum in a different era, just sort of strolled in, untrained, and had it all. I love just about everything about ED WOOD, which for me is the pinnacle of the Burton-Depp collaboration.

I love the film as well (like most of Burton's work), but I've never been overly impressed with the score. I haven't listened to it in ages, but I remember liking the Main Title and not being impressed with the use of excerpts from 'Swan Lake' in some cues. And isn't there spoken dialogue in some cues on this release?

Many Tim Burton's movies could end being a lot better if they have better scores...

Yavar wonders what Yor has against such excellent Danny Elfman scores as Alice in Wonderland (film definitely far inferior to score), Sleepy Hollow (ditto...score added a lot), Batman (they originally wanted Prince to score it!), Batman Returns (actually much better and more developed than its predecessor as revealed by LLL's excellent complete release), Planet of the Apes (awful film with any score, excellent score though not a patch on Goldsmith's of course), and especially The Nightmare Before Christmas (yes, Burton did not direct but you must admit Elfman composed a masterpiece!)

Many Tim Burton's movies could end being a lot better if they have better scores...

Yavar wonders what Yor has against such excellent Danny Elfman scores as Alice in Wonderland (film definitely far inferior to score), Sleepy Hollow (ditto...score added a lot), Batman (they originally wanted Prince to score it!), Batman Returns (actually much better and more developed than its predecessor as revealed by LLL's excellent complete release), Planet of the Apes (awful film with any score, excellent score though not a patch on Goldsmith's of course), and especially The Nightmare Before Christmas (yes, Burton did not direct but you must admit Elfman composed a masterpiece!)